To The Editor:
The provincial government has put together a Special Committee on Wellness that is going around the province to receive suggestions on how to be healthy.
I would like to make the following observations to this Committee on Wellness on behalf of the poor; that is, all those on social assistance, low wages, Employment Insurance and low income seniors. These groups are the ones affected the most by poverty.
For example, let's take the transitional category of social assistance recipients. There are many in this group. They are mainly single older people, most of them being on permanent disability.
At present their rate for one month is $521. Since 2005, increases only totalled $36, to bring them up to the current amount. Now anyone knows you can't live on this.
They can't even meet such basic necessities as rent, heat, power and phone. Where is the food? Honestly, there is none!
Can you imagine their fear and stress?
Is one meal a day at a soup kitchen sufficient? One can go to a food bank once a month and donated foods lasts three to four days. Is that sufficient?
And you ask what wellness means to them. They would love to eat properly and to feel good, just like you. No more arthritis, heart condition, rampant diabetes, teeth falling out, depression or stress and sleepless nights.
Poor people have no time to think what they would like to do and not enough money to get anywhere. It's like a slow death, going downhill and giving up hope.
They don't have good health and it hurts. They are being controlled by a government whim and never brought into the picture at all.
Do you have any idea at all, how many there are?
Currently, over 40,000 people rely on social assistance to survive. I don't know of any groups or organizations out there in this province that can feed everyone properly.
You can promote wellness till the cows come home! We can see and we can hear. But until social assistance rates, low wages, changes to E.I. and low income seniors are raised to meet the cost of living, it won't happen.
We can only stand there and watch ourselves being left behind.
Why does the government pass almost impossible roles on to individuals and communities? You have to start somewhere, but at least start!
Important activities to be done include:
1. Lobby government for better rates for social assistance, raise minimum wage, redo E.I. and give better pensions to low income seniors;
2. Reform social assistance policies as there are too many closed doors;
3. Have free seats in Community Colleges for courses for decent paying jobs;
4. Don't cut social assistance if one goes to university;
5. Provide fitness classes to low income people for free;
6. Offer land for community gardens.
At the pre-budget consultation meeting with Minister Boudreau, he said hard choices had to be made. How can this government ignore the cries of the hungry, those in the cold and the homeless in favour of business?
Until rates and wages are brought up to par with inflation, not much progress can be made.
This is far more than any community organization or non-profit group can handle. And what rising costs this represents to the Department of Health!
Wellness might improve for most, but it certainly looks bleak for us. All we want is enough to pay the bills and buy food.
It would be absolutely fantastic to feel good again but I can't help but feel that it's too late for some of us.
Linda McCaustlin,
Moncton